In Conversation

An Australian soprano admired by international critics for her “glossy, commanding sound” and “magnificent dramatic power”, Lauren Fagan is one of the most impressive and versatile sopranos on today’s stages. She’s performed roles with the Canadian Opera Company, Scottish Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, Opernhaus Zürich, and Opéra de Paris, and many others, for roles ranging the full spectrum from Gutrune in Götterdämmerung to Violetta in La Traviata, and she’s equally at home on the concert stage too. 
In this conversation, Lauren also looks back on an unconventional path into opera, growing up in a sporty Sydney family with little classical music in the house before discovering singing through school musicals and competitions. After studying business and working in IT sales, she took a leap of faith and moved to London to pursue singing seriously – a decision that led her to train at the Guildhall School of Music, the prestigious Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and an international career across Europe and beyond. Now based in Vienna, she reflects on the realities of life as an opera singer, the importance of mentors and language skills, and the balance between artistic ambition, personal life, and the demanding global nature of the profession.
Lauren Fagan performs the role of Tatiana in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin with Opera Australia until 28 March.

A violinist hailed for her “brilliant, polished, expressive and intense, absolutely stunning playing,” who is respected by critics, peers and audiences alike, Dutch born Simone Lamsma has an extensive repertoire, having performed with the world’s top orchestras. She’s played with the New York and London Philharmonics, the Royal Concertgebouw and Vienna Symphony to name just a tiny fraction, and worked with an equally impressive array of conductors, be it Jukka-Pekka Sarasate, Edo de Waart, Jaime Martín or Asher Fisch. She also has eight albums to her name, and counting.
Simone speaks about her desire to play the violin from the age of just two, when led her to move internationally at 11 to attend the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK, then onto the Royal Academy of Music and a stunning solo career. She shares her deep love of music which she has always felt was her spiritual home, the importance of Bach to the world of music, and her long affection for the Britten Violin Concerto which holds a special place in her heart.
Simone Lamsma performs Britten’s Violin Concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under chief conductor Simone Young on 6 and 7 March.

Recognised as one of the most dynamic and internationally acclaimed conductors of his generation, Andrea Battistoni has conducted in many of the world’s leading opera houses, including Covent Garden and Deutsche Oper Berlin. He’s currently music director with Teatro Regio di Torino, chief conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and has just commenced another role – as Music Director of Opera Australia.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Andrea reflects on this appointment and the artistic vision he hopes to bring to a company he feels a great connection with, as well as a deep affection for the Australian way of working. While Italian opera remains central to his musical DNA, he speaks candidly about his desire to broaden his repertoire in Australia, exploring German, Slavic and contemporary works. He also offers fascinating insights into the role of a music director, from shaping orchestral sound and casting decisions to supporting singers in the unpredictable reality of live performance.
Andrea traces his own journey from a childhood in Verona inspired by summer nights at the arena and a fiercely determined mother who insisted on his musical training, to becoming the youngest conductor ever to appear at La Scala. He speaks openly about the challenges of authority, leadership and learning to manage the people as much as the music, as well as the instinct that’s needed on the podium. Alongside his conducting career, composition is playing an increasingly important role in his life, with a new opera and major works premiering in Europe later this year. With lovely honesty and humour, he reflects on family life on the road, his enduring love of Puccini, and even gently compares coffee in Australia to Italy.
Andrea Battistoni conducts Turandot and Madame Butterfly for Opera Australia until March 14.

Rupert Noffs is a singer, actor, writer and producer who works across cabaret and musical theatre, as well as live comedy and television. He’s recently twice toured the country as Bob Downe’s wide-eyed nepo-nephew in Choose Bob: 40 Ridiculous Years and is a founding performer in Old Friends Sing Sondheim. Rupert’s life story goes well beyond that, though, as he’s also a successful restaurateur, having co-owned venues in Australia and New York, and he and his family are part of one of this nation’s top charities, the Noffs Foundation, formerly the Wayside Foundation. 
In this lively and candid conversation, Rupert reflects on his wide-ranging career, sharing his deep musical influences and long-standing creative partnerships, including his collaboration with music director Bev Kennedy and his onstage work with Bob Downe creator Mark Trevorrow. He offers an honest and often humorous account of his upbringing, revealing how performance became both an escape and a source of confidence. He also shares stories from his eclectic professional life beyond the stage, from his work with the Noffs Foundation, to his ventures in fashion and restaurant ownership in New York, bringing unexpected experiences that have shaped his resilience and creativity. Throughout, he reveals himself as an energetic and reflective artist whose life is defined by reinvention, collaboration and an enduring love of entertaining.
Rupert Noffs performs Broadway, Baby at Gingers at The Oxford on Sunday 22 February.

An actor, writer, director and artistic director who is now a major force in Sydney’s theatrical scene, Mitchell Butel has come a long way from bursting onto the stage for his Sydney Theare Company debut in Six Degrees of Separation 35 years ago. Now the STC’s artistic director, he is presenting his first full season, coming to the role after a five-year stint as artistic director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia.
As an actor, he’s received Helpmann awards for his turns in Avenue Q, The Mikado, Mr Burns and The Venetian Twins. He returns to the stage to star in The Normal Heart, a role he has already performed in Adelaide. Mitchell discusses how this play about the AIDS crisis in New York from the mid-80s still has resonance today, and goes on to reveal some other highlights of the 2026 season which is shaped by themes of difference, dialogue, and social change, balancing drama with humour and emotional storytelling. 
We hear about his unconventional path into theatre, from growing up in Maroubra and studying arts/law to then embracing a professional acting career. He speaks of the responsibilities of leading a major arts organisation, including nurturing artists, selecting productions, and balancing creative ambition with financial sustainability, including the development of new Australian works such as upcoming productions of new musicals My Brilliant Career and Whispering Jack. Throughout, Mitchell conveys both the challenges and deep rewards of shaping the future of Australian theatre while maintaining his enduring passion for performance. 
Mitchell Butel stars in The Normal Heart at the Drama Theatre of the Sydney Opera House until March 14.